Process of manufacturing metallic wheels



(No Model.)

J. 'A. PACER.

PROCESS OF MANUFAOTURING METALLIC WHEELS.

Patented Oct. 29, 1889.

VWPFNEESES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. FACER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING METALLIC WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,031, dated October 29, 1889.

Application filed May 8, 1889. Serial No. 310,027. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. FACER, of

Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, Pennsylfacture car-wheels by two processes, one of which consists in first casting the Wheel approximately the shape of the finished article,

and then subjecting the castings to a rolling action in a machine especially adapted to the purpose, and the other of which consists in casting the center of iron or steel and fitting thereto a steel tire which is forged into shape from a solid bloom by proper manipulation under a steam-hammer and rolls. These processes have many objections, principally expense or cost of manufacture, and in the case of the first-mentioned processalack of homogeneity and solidity of the cast metal in the finished wheel.

The object of my invention is to make a car-wheel from a solid ingot or bloom of steel by forging the ingot or bloom under heavy steam-hamm ers having dies of suit able shapes into the requisite forms.

The result of ,my process is to produce a forged steel wheel the metal of which is compact and homogeneous and formed with a hardened surface due to the forging process.

In carrying out my invention I first heata bloom or steel ingot to the required degree and then place it under a steam-hammer having dies of the proper shape to first flatten out the bloom into a disk of sufficient diameter to form the wheel. the disk in its still heated condition is set on edge and rounded up, and at the same time the flange or treading part of the wheel is finished in rough. This latter result is produced by subjecting the bloom to a hammering operation and at the same time rotating thebloom upon the anvil-die and about a horizontal axis. IVhen the bloom is shaped When this is done,

as above, it is placed flat upon the anvil-die and a punch is used to form the axle-holes, the hammerdie being employed to drive the punch into the metal. The punched bloom or rough wheel thus formed is placed in a suitably-shaped anvil-die and a correspondingly shaped or mated hammer-die is brought down, forging the bloom into the finished wheel. This process may be carried on with one heating of the bloom; or, if desired, two heatings may be employed, the second heating being resorted to prior to the last forging operation.

In practice it is desirable to perform the flattening, rounding-up, and flanging and punching operations on one hammer, and the finishing forging operation on a second hammer or with another pair of dies; or the rounding-up and fianging operation may be per formed on the dies in which the last forging operation takes place.

In this application I do not claim the hammers or apparatus for carrying out my improved process, as they form subject-matter of other applications, Serial Nos. 310,025 and 310,026, filed-on the 8th day of May, 1889.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a steam-hammer for carrying out the first operations of my improved process. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of another steam-hammer for carrying out the latter operation or operations of my process. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the anvil and hammer dies of the hammer shown in Fig. 1. Fig. at is a similar view of the anvil and hammer die of the hammer shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a general view of the various shapes given to the bloom, showing the results of the various steps in the process.

The anvil-dieB of the hammerA is formed with a flat surface I), and also witha supporting laterally-projecting part E, preferably curved, and having a groove e corresponding to the section of the flange of the Wheel. These parts E e are arranged in the front part of the body of the anvil-die and at a considerably lower elevation than the upper space I), so that the front vertical surface L will act as a support for the bloom during the flanging operation. This anvil-die is also provided with a lateral support F, having a groove f for the flange of the wheel. A pin ing the bloom in a vertical G is detachably secured to the lower part of the anvil-die and acts as a support for holdposition while being turned.

C is the hammer-die, and is formed with a flat face 0, corresponding in size with the surface I) of the anvil-die, and preferably having its center coincident with the center of the surface I). It is also provided with a projectionD on its front part, having the under curved surface D and groove 61 corre-..

sponding with the curved surface E and groove e of the anvil-die. This projection D may be of any length. The surface D is,

raised slightly above the surface 0, and likewise the projection F is lowered below the surface I), so that the surfaces 0 b may be used to good effect in working down the bloom 1, Fig. 5, during the flattening process to bring it to the form shown in 2, Fig. 5.

The curvature of the surfaces E D may be dispensed with, if desired, as while they have a tendency to center the wheel-blank, yet they cannot correspond to the curvatures of wheels-.ofvarious diameters. I

In these dies for hammer A, surfaces 0 b are made long and narrow, and the parts E and D are arranged in the middle of the dies and as closely to the center line of the piston-rod of the hammer as possible to reduce the leverage as far as possible and thereby prevent undue strain upon the dies and ham- The dies B C of the hammer A of Fig. 2 are shown as having the same parts D E F, &c., upon the front parts; but if used on the other dies 0 B they would not be necessary on these dies. These dies B U have large surfaces, in which are formed, respectively, the recesses and die shapes I and J, which, when brought together, form'the exact shape by the space inclosed of the finished wheel. (See Fig. 5.) The die B has its recessed portion I formed with a removable central pin, which fits in the hole in the bloom and retains the shape of the hole when the bloom is subjected to the finishing treatment in these dies B O.

Owing to the large diameter of the wheels and the consequent area of the die-surface, it is evident that the parts D and E could not be brought close enough to the center line of the dies to prevent excessive strain with heavy hammering; hence the reason for performing the fianging and rounding-up operations on the dies B C; but these parts on the 1 hammer A may be effectively used for the purpose of cleaning the blank and removing from it all scales, ashes, and dirt which may have collected thereon, either from the reheating of the blank (if two heats are employed) or from any other cause, as these scales, &c., might interfere with the perfection of the forging operation if they are not removed before the blank is placed in the die I. For this cleaning process heavy ham mering is obviously not necessary, a few light taps being sufficient to knock off the scales, &c., so that no injurious strain would be exerted upon the hammer when used for this purpose. It is obvious, however, that this operation might be performed upon the hammerA.

The process will now be readily understood. The blooml, Fig. 5, is heated and then subj ected to the flattening process between the surfaces 1) c of the dies B C of the hammer A until it is reduced to the thickness indicated at 2, Fig. 5. This bloom is then placed against the face L of the anvil-die B, and rests upon the surface E and over the groove e. The

shape, corresponding to these surfaces in.

cross-section. The hole 70 is now punched after the flanging operation, or it may be drilled subsequently therein. The wheel will then have the shape shown in 4, Fig. 5. The blank is now rounded up, and is approximately of the diameter desired, being, however, a little smaller. This blank (still in its heated condition) is placed in the recess I of the die B of the hammer A, and is forged between the dies B G into the finished shape desired, and as shown in 5, Fig. 5. If desired, prior to this last operation the bloom may be reheated to make the metal more ductile and more ready to flow under the pressure of the dies, and the blank may be placed in-an up right position against the surface L of the anvil-die and tapped or lightly struck a few times by the projection D to remove the scales or dirt that may have collected thereon from this reheating or otherwise before it is placed in the recess I. WVheels made in this manner are suitable for cars, pilot-trucks of locomotives, cr'a'ne.work, and all purposes where heavy duty is required coupledwith strength.

It is apparent thatthe dies B C, for finishing thewheelymay be operated by a hydraulic press in place of a steam-hammer, if desired.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The hereindescribed process of making forged wheels, which consists in first subjecting an ingot or bloom in a heated condition to forging operations to reduce it to approximately the proper thickness, then placing it between dies in an upright position, or in a position parallel to the line of action of said dies, and subjecting it to forging operations between said dies, turning it under them and rounding it up into approximately the shape of the finished wheel, and finally subjecting it to pressure between finishing-dies, forging its entire surface into the finishedform.

2. The herein-described process of making forged wheels, which consists in first subject ing an ingot or bloom in a heated condition to forging operations to reduce it to approximately the proper thickness, then placing it between dies in an upright position, or in a position parallel to the line of action of said dies, and subjecting it to forging operations between said dies, turning it under them and rounding it up into approximately the shape of the finished wheel, simultaneously forming the flange upon the bloom while in said upright position by the forging operation, and finally subjecting it to pressure between finishing-dies, forging its entire surface into the finished form.

3. The herein-described process of making forged wheels, which consists in first subjecting an ingot or bloom in a heated condition to forging operations to reduce it to approximately the proper thickness, then placing it between dies in an upright position, or in a position parallel to the line of action of the dies, and subjecting it to forging operations between said dies, turning it under them and rounding it up into approximately the shape of the finished wheel, simultaneously forming the flange upon the bloom while in said upright position by the forging operation, then punching the axle-hole through its center, and finally subjecting it to pressure between finishing-dies, forging its entire surface into the finished form.

4. The herein-described process of making forged Wheels, which consists in first flattening a heated bloom to approximately the proper-thickness, then placing the bloom on end and rounding it up and forming the flange by turning it under forgingdies, then reheating the rounded and flanged bloom, then placing it on end and tapping it slightly to remove scales and dirt, and finally subjecting the bloom so shaped to finishing-dies, forging the bloom into its finished shape.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES A. FAG ER.

Vitnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, S. T. YERKES. 

